Is paying for gradings the done thing, or does it indicate a greedy dojo?

To pass a more senior judo grading you need to win fights. This means that the grading officer needs a venue, contest area, score boards, first aid etc to hold a grading. I don't think that it is greedy for competitors to be charged to enter such a gradings.

Before I joined my BJJ gym, I asked about this. They told me that I wouldn't have to pay for being promoted.

However, now after being there for over 2 months, I have found out that to be graded, it must be at a seminar held by "Lagarto"..which costs £20 to attend. So I'm starting to wonder..."wait a minute..I think this means they are charging people £20 each to be graded" .. personally, I strongly disagree with this..I think you should be promoted when it is deserved...not by how much cash you have.

Before I joined my BJJ gym, I asked about this. They told me that I wouldn't have to pay for being promoted.

However, now after being there for over 2 months, I have found out that to be graded, it must be at a seminar held by "Lagarto"..which costs £20 to attend. So I'm starting to wonder..."wait a minute..I think this means they are charging people £20 each to be graded" .. personally, I strongly disagree with this..I think you should be promoted when it is deserved...not by how much cash you have.

Have you asked about this? If you genuinely couldn't attend the seminar due to other commitments would it mean you wouldn't be graded when you next came to the gym? I like gradings. They are a great way of being rewarded and recognised for all your hard work. They are also a good way for academies to make a few quid and retain students too though. There's noting inherently wrong with that, but I have a healthy cynicism regarding them nonetheless.